Review: COMEDY OF ERRORS at Shakespeare Theatre Comany

The Shakespeare Theatre Company opens its 2024-2025 season with a fun, frothy, beautifully rendered Comedy of Errors by the theatre’s “resident playwright” William Shakespeare and directed by the company’s artistic director, Simon Godwin.

Godwin layers visual and aural punch to keep the pace lively – including a band of versatile on-stage musician storytellers. A smart choice in the early moments of the play is staging a vivid flashback as Egeon, who as a native of Syracuse faces death for being found in the city of Ephesus, shares the tragic tale of how a storm and shipwreck twenty years back separated him from his beloved wife, one of his twin sons, and the twin brother of his young servant; all have been lost to him.

Spoiler alert: unbeknownst to anyone, both sets of twins survive. They unexpectedly cross paths in the small Mediterranean port town of Ephesus, and with the mistaken identities, chaos ensues. The genius of Shakespeare, the freshness of Godwin’s staging, and the strength of the cast propels the action and keeps the production’s energy and hilarity dialed up. Yet there are quieter, touching moments that bring added depth and intensity to the production.

A big part of this production’s success is the casting of both sets of twins, especially Alex Brightman and David Fynn as the two Dromios. One would think they truly were separated at birth – the similarity in voice and appearance is uncanny and their shared timing and physicality is excellent. Both actors gained fame (and major award nominations) for playing Dewey in School of Rock – Brightman on Broadway and Fynn in London’s West End.

Christian Thompson as Antipholus of Syracuse and Ralph Adriel Johnson as Antipholus of Ephesus each adeptly reflect the temperamental differences of this pair – the Syracusian more trusting and outgoing, the Ephesian more fitful and punishing.

Eric Hissom – known to STC audiences at Dr. Gibbs in Our Town and to local Shakespeare fans for his Prospero in Round House Theatre’s magical Tempest – is memorable in two contracting roles. As the upstanding Duke of Solinus he lends a sympathetic ear but won’t bend on the death sentence he imposed after finding Egeon – a banned Syracusian – upon Ephesian soil. And Hissom’s woo-woo, hippie-dippy “Doctor” Pinch goes with the flow and calls on an odd assortment of tools and incantations to convince others he is exorcizing the demons from Antipholus.

Shayvawn Webster (as Adriana, the wife of Antipholus of Ephesus), and Cloteal L. Horne (Adriana’s sister, Luciana) are a comfortable duo, loyal to each other in the face of the husband’s rages. Kimberly Dodson has great fun as the strong and direct Thaisa (who has privately lunched with Antipholus and who is promised Antipholus’s gold chain … yet Antipholus denies having an affair with her). Thaisa is costumed as a 1980s Janet Jackson – all shoulder pads and upswept hair – and is accompanied by loose bills blowing in the breeze and a funky bow-chicka-wow-wow bass line from the on-stage musicians every time she crosses the stage.

Such humorous musical moments are made possible by the talented team of actor/musicians – an essential part of the production’s fun and frivolity. The show is greatly enhanced by the work of Jacob Brandt (Rodrigo and associate music director), Paige Rammelkamp (Marina and music director), Camilo Linares (Sergeant/Officer) and the extraordinary Pearl Rhein (goldsmith Angela who, in the course of the production, also plays the violin, accordion, mandolin, melodica – and maybe a few more that I missed).

Timothy D. Stickney, exuding intensity and gravatas, grabs attention from the start as the tragic Egeon. Amanda Naughton is a quietly powerful Emilia. It is wonderful to see Ro Boddie – who recently performed so powerfully in Roundhouse’s revival of Suzan-Lori Park’s searing Topdog/Underdog – amid the silliness of this Shakespearian comedy as the merchant Balthasar.

The staging places us in a lush, bustling Mediterranean crossroads – a port town where locals are tightly knit but sailors, traders and other outsiders are common and expected.

Costume Designer Alejo Vietti chooses shades of Mediterranean yellow – from pale limoncello to deeper mustard and goldenrod – for the Ephesian community. Costumes span time from a flowing contemporary jumpsuit to punk-inspired fishnets or more traditional military regalia. However the twins are cloaked in deeper oranges – a rust polo with a white suit for the Antipholi twins, and deep umber tees with suspenders for the servant Dromios. Charles G. LaPonte’s wig and hair design adds to the fun.

Scenic Designer Ceci Calf brings both energy and specificity to the functional multi-level set of a busy port town. The balconies, lattices and double doors of a lush European central square are pressed into service as integral aspects of Shakespeare’s slapstick comedy. Stacey Derosier’s lighting design washes the stage with the warm coastal glow for most of the production yet darker moments like the opening flashback of the shipwreck use starker light to good effect.

In this Comedy of Errors, music is a central element. Christopher Shutt’s sound design easily balances voices, instruments and ambient noise. Michael Bruce is the composer of the seamless transitions from music to spoken text.

Similarly, movement is a key element. Nancy Renee Braun’s choreography includes bold farcical door slams, narrow escapes from trellises, squishy flying squid, and jumping rope. Rob Hunter’s fight choreography includes fun slo-mo moments and slapstick elements that layer in even more hilarity.

While this production offers high comedy and wonderful belly laughs, there are deeper moments. The stark opening scene of Egeon relating to Duke of Solinus the horrible loss of his wife, son and young toddler entrusted to his care, then learning it doesn’t spare him from a death sentence is a hard and harsh moment.

But an even more memorable scene is the quiet, wonderfully touching moment full of wonder as the two Dromios discover each other and uncover their deep bond, saying “Methinks you are my glass, and not my brother.” Each has been alone in the world and now has a partner who thinks and moves and looks like him and who cares for him.

Simon Godwin launches the STC season with a joyful and effervescent production. The show features an extraordinarily talented cast, gorgeous sets and costumes, and highly inventive music. Simon Godwin calls Comedy of Errors “one of Shakespeare’s sunniest comedies” and this production truly reflects this golden light.

The production has just been extended to October 20 – make plans now to see it.

Running Time: 2 hours and 10 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.

Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare, directed by Simon Godwin, runs through Sunday, October 20, 2024. Comedy of Errors is produced by the Shakespeare Theatre Company at the Klein Theatre, 450 7th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20004. For tickets and schedule, accessible performance information, special events, attendance policies and further information visit the company's website.

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